Best Yoga Spots in RI

The dead of winter is a great time to get into the studio and get the deep benefits of a little Zen. Here are the top spots statewide for getting your Zen on.

South County Classic

All That Matters, 315 Main St, Wakefield, 782-2126. If you're old enough to remember the 1970s (or were raised by someone who does) this gold-standard studio in South County will have special appeal. Kudos for a broad and deep roster of classes (it's the largest non-residential holistic center in New England), surrounded by holistic extras like tarot and angel readings, reiki support circles, and mind-body strategies for pain.Shout-out: Yoga for Stiff Guys weekly class.

Super-Inclusive in Pawtucket

Breathing Time Yoga, 541 Pawtucket Ave, Pawtucket, 421-9876.
There's a lot to love at this major yoga center on the East Side/Oak Hill line in Pawtucket, and classes that appeal to men, runners, brand-new beginners, back-care maintenance, and curvy women, make this center feel especially

Cozy in Cranston

Santosha Yoga Studio, 14 Bartlett Ave, Cranston, 780-9809. You have to love a studio that offers "all the benefits of yoga without the stretching." While this may sound like a cop-out, it's Yoga Nidra, a form of guided meditation that's a special offering at this cozy studio in Edgewood. Santosha also offers Kundalini yoga, a very focused (and not easy to find) practice, in addition to a nice variety of classes every day.Shout-out: Energy Healing Clinic the first Friday of every month.

Yoga goddesses in Providence's Jewelry District

Motion Center, 111 Chestnut St, Providence, 654-6650. Word is out that there are yoga goddesses teaching in the Jewelry District, and this serious spot offers high-quality yoga, dance, and massage therapy (talk about your cross-training). From workshops on Ashtanga yoga Mysore practice to Cesarean Scar rehabilitation workshops, you'll find the highest level of commitment here.Shout-out: Thai Massage, one of the best bodywork offerings around (and hard to find).

Reaching out in East Bay

Bristol Yoga Studio, 767 Hope St, Bristol, 569-0147. Opened three years ago in the hopes of spreading the healthful messages of yoga practice to the broader community, Bristol yoga offers Vinyasa and Hatha yoga, and a great offering called Morning Blend, a mix of styles created to meet the needs of students who come that day. Bristol Yoga is committed to Seva, the yogic tradition of selfless service, and that translates to a monthly all-levels class that's free to the community, plus a regular fundraiser to support the Good Neighbors Soup Kitchen in Bristol.Shout-out: Chair yoga, an easy-does it class to accommodate physical limitations due to age, illness, and disability.

Brides, teens, and more on Aquidneck

Innerlight Center for Yoga & Meditation, Middletown Commons, 850 Aquidneck Ave, Middletown, 849-3200. There's some great yoga on Aquidneck Island, but this major center for more than 15 years that offers more than 50 classes a week, takes top honors. Innovative classes include the Transformation Bootcamp (the next one begins January 26), a 40-day program of yoga, eating healthy, and meditating regularly. Wedding yoga packages can keeps brides not only more limber and fit, but keep them from becoming Bridezillas (there's also a Bachelorette Party yoga offering and Radiance Rules wedding-day yoga).Shout-out: Teen yoga for girls. Is there anything smarter or more healthy?